Filter means

ABSTRACT

Small and transversely-extending openings in the wall of a hollow filter body carry the smoke to impinge upon an outer covering in a region thereof kept relatively cool by portions of the hollow filter body; and an effective smoke-filtering is obtained by what seems to be the combined effect of a mechanical filtering due to the forced change of path of the smoke stream and its said impingement, and a condensation of smoke vapors, the condensation and the filter residue then seeming to further filter and trap smoke particles and to yield a flavor to the smoke.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,788,330 Griffith Jan. 29, 1974 [54] FILTER MEANS 6,502,444 8/1966 Netherlands 131/ 10.5 Inventor: David B- G 8050 Harrison 1,510,851 12/1967 France 131/261 B Dr., Indianapolis, Ind. 46226 [22] Filed: Sept, 25, 1970 Primary Examiner-Samuel Koren Assistant Examiner-J. F. Pitrelli [21] Appl' 75381 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert A. Spray [52] US. Cl 131/10.5, 131/210, 131/201 [51] Int. Cl. A24d 01/04, A24f 07/04, A24f 13/06 [58] Field of Search 131/10.5, 261 B, 201, 210, ABSTRACT 131/212 R, 213

Small and transversely-extending openings in the wall [56] References Cited of a hollow filter body carry the smoke to impinge UNITED STATES PATENTS upon an outer covering in a region thereof kept relatively cool by portions of the hollow filter body; and 131/105 an effective smoke-filtering is obtained by what seems 3:367:343 2/1968 white to be the combined effect of a mechanical filtering 3,496,946 2 7 G iffith due to the forced change of path of the smoke stream 1,582,971 5/1926 Conley and its said impingement, and a condensation of 2,954,774 10/1960 Lebert smoke vapors, the condensation and the filter residue ,394,707 7/1968 Ellis then seeming to further filter and trap smoke particles 2,033,867 3/1936 Segal 131/10 R X d to i ld a flavor to h smoke.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 280,123 3/1970 Austria l3l/10.5 17 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PAIENIED M H 3,788,330

' sum 1 or 2 DAVID B. GRIFFITH,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY PATENTEDJANZQIW V 3.788.330

SHEET 2 IF 2 DAVID B;- amrnur,

INVENTOR.

A T TORNE Y FILTER MEANS This invention relates to a filter means or device for a smoking article. A particularly advantageous use thereof is as an integrally-constructed portion of a cigarette mouth-tip, but it may also be used in or with other smoking articles, including mouthpieces, holders, pipes, or other smoking articles.

Concepts of the present invention provide an effective and advantageous smoke filtering by what seems to be the combined effects of a mechanical filtering of the smoke-stream and the wet effect ofa condensation of smoke vapors, which, after an intial drawing of smoke through the filter means achieves a deposit of filter residue, that residue itself then seems to further filter and trap smoke particles and to also yield a flavor to the smoke.

(In the description of the present invention, the device is described in conjunction with what appear to be the working principles or scientific technicalities achieved by the inventive concepts contained in the construction of the device. However, the concepts of the invention are not limited to those apparent operativc principles or technicalities, they being set forth as a means of explaining the operational effect rather than the inventive concepts themselves.)

Details as to the inventive concepts and construction of the filter means are set forth in the following, more detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying somewhat schematic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the mouth portion of a cigarette whose mouth-tip has been provided with a filter means according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the cigarette mouth-tip shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken generally as indicated by Section Line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken generally as indicated by Section Line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken generally as indicated by Section Line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmental or detail view of a portion of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail view similar to FIG. 6, but illustrating a construction in which the small transverse openings are generally radial;

FIG. 8 is a pictorial view in reduced scale, of the filter body shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are longitudinal cross-sectional fragmental views generally similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating respectively other embodiments of the invention, a portion of a flange being shown in FIG. 10 as broken away to show details otherwise hidden;

FIG. 11 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken generally as indicated by Section Line 1111 of FIG. 9, portions of a covering cylinder shown broken away to illustrate certain filter body recesses more clearly;

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken generally as indicated by Section Line 12-12 of FIG. 10: and

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmental or detail view, similar to FIGS. 6 and 7 as showing a portion of the filter body, shown as a transversely-taken cross section through a filter body ofa further embodiment of the invention.

As shown in the drawings, a hollow filter body 10 is in the general form of a hollow cylinder; and this body 10 is disposed within a cylindrical covering 12. The filter body 10 and the overlying covering 12 are shown as secured to an overhanging cylindrical portion of the cigarette wrapper 14 of a cigarette 16 just outwardly of the tobacco 18. The covering cylinder 12 is shown as extending outwardly of the filter body 10, and a mouth piece tip 19 in the form of a cylinder is shown attached to the most outward or downstream portion of the covering cylinder 12. (The invention is not limited to any particular mouthpiece construction, however.)

The filter body 10 has a relatively downstream wall portion 20 shown in the form of a hollow generally cylindrical member, which is spaced from the adjacent portions of the covering cylinder 12, providing in effeet a chamber 22 exteriorly of the body wall 20 and interiorly of the covering 12.

Relatively upstream of the wall 20, the filter body 10 is provided with peripheral portions 24, shown in the form of a band or ring, which extend peripherally around the filter body 10 and outwardly engage against the interior wall of the overlying covering cylinder 12, restricting the passage of smoke past the filter body 10 between the body 10 and the covering 12.

Further downstream, the filter body 10 is provided with a transversely extending wall means 26, which restricts the passage of smoke through the hollow filter body 10 interiorly of its wall 20.

It will be observed that the relatively downstream body wall 20 and the relatively upstream peripheral body ring 24 co-operate to shield the portions of the covering 12 which are spacedly adjacent the body wall 20, relatively insulated from the heat of the smoke entering the hollow filter body 10, thus keeping those portions of the covering 12 relatively cooler than the said filter body 10. This relatively cooler temperature seems to provide one of the co-operating effects which are utilized in the filter to achieve the advantageous overall smoke-filtering effect.

Particular concepts of the present invention provide a plurality of transversely-extending openings 30, in the body wall 20, communicating the hollow interior 32 of the filter body 10 with the aforesaid chamber means 22. These openings 30 are of such a direction, size, and shape, that a substantial portion of the smoke particles of the smoke stream being drawn by the smoker through this filter means are caused to operatively impinge upon the interior of the overlying covering cylinder 12, after emerging from the openings 30.

The openings 30 are in a desirable embodiment only of a size about 0.005 inches in diameter; and desirably they are circumferentially spaced so that, whether or not inclined from radial lines, the spaces between the outer end of the openings 30 are approximately equal, that is, the outer ends of the openings 30 in contrast to their inner ends are approximately equally spaced.

More particularly, as shown, the openings 30 are of a very small and restricted size. The total effective cross-sectional size of all the openings 30 is that they all together provide substantially less area than the portion of the associated mouth piece which is of the least cross-sectional size of the smoking article.

In the relatively downstream portion of the hollow filter body having the wall 20, the body 10 is provided with longitudinally extending rib member 34. These rib members 34 are peripherally spaced, and they serve to maintain the spaced relationship of the body wall within the overlying covering cylinder 12.

The longitudinally extending walls of the ribs 34, being respectively relatively closely adjacent an opening 30, respectively provide an additional wall which serves as a collector and retainer of the smoke condensation and residue, adding to the wet filter effect by in effect providing a radially-extending smoke-scrubbing surface in addition to the cylindrical scrubbing surface provided by the inner wall of the cylinder 12 (and by the inner or smoke-impingement wall of flange 44 yet to be described).

The walls of ribs 34 also serve to block the condensation and residue from being pushed out of the way laterally out of the path of the smoke stream by the subsequent passage of smoke, which, if the rib walls were not present to block that pushing, would not achieve the scrubbing effect and would thus not attain the smoke-flavoring effect of scrubbing of the smoke against that portion of the condensation and residue.

The openings emerge between the rib members 34, and, in the form shown, there are two of such openings 30 which emerge between each adjacent pair of the rib members 34. I

As shown, the axes of the openings 30 are in a plane at least generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the filter body 10; and in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, the axes of the openings 30 are inclined with respect to respective radial lines of the filter body 10 (that inclination being as shown at about 45 inclined from the respective radius), while in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 the axes of the openings 30a are shown as extending radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the filter body 10.

In the form shown, there are nine of the ribs 34 spaced peripherally around the body wall 20, and there are eighteen of the openings 30, two of such openings emerging in each of the chambers 22 which exist between adjacent pairs of the ribs 34.

As indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the holes 30 (or 30a) are desirably provided by an operation such as punching which provides that a small amount of material 36 extends inwardly of the bore 32 of the body 10 a short distance, adjacent the inner end of each of the said openings. This small ridge of material 36 appears to add to the overal filtering effect achieved by the passage of the smoke stream through the holes 30 (or 30a).

As stated above, an advantage of the present invention is that it appears that there is achieved a combined effect of a mechanical filtering due to the forced change of path of the smoke stream transversely into impingement against the interior of the covering cylinder 12, and also a condensation of the smoke vapors as they impinge upon that portion of the covering 12 which is relatively cooler than the filter body 10. The condensation and the filter residue then appear to further filter and to further trap smoke particles, and to yield a flavor to the smoke. The presence of the residue, which is obtained after the initial drawing of the smoke stream through the openings 30, provides what is in effect a wet filter, which tends to retain more of the smoke particles which are desirably filtered from the smoke stream.

FIGS. 9 and 11 illustrate a modified embodiment, in which the filter body 10a is provided with a peripheral series of shallow grooves or recesses 40 in the outer face 42 of upstream peripheral flange 24, extending longitudinally of that flange 24 its full extent, and providing a bypass of the filter body 10a for a relatively small proportion of the overall smoke stream. As shown, there is one of the grooves 40 provided adjacent each edge of each rib 34, thus two grooves 40 into each chamber 22.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 12 has a filter body 10b which may be identical to either of the above-described embodiments (or to that shown in FIG. 13, yet to be described) except that the upstream peripheral flange 24b is provided with a downstreamextending extension or overhanging flange 44.

This flange 44 as shown extends across the outlet of the transverse passages or openings 30 (or 30a or 30b), although somewhat spaced therefrom and not blocking the outlets, thus providing an impingement wall closer to the outlet openings than is the covering cylinder 12.

This closeness of spacing of the flange 44 seems to have the effect of assuring that more of the smoke particles actually impinge upon or against an outer wall, rather than that portion of the smoke stream sweeping past it as in the situation of FIGS. 1 through 8 in which the impinged wall is that of an overlying cylinder 12 which is spaced relatively farther from the filter portion 20 than is the flange 44; yet the relatively greater distance from the cylindrical filter portion 20 to the overlying cylinder 12, just adjacently downstream, permits the smoke stream to be drawn, in the drawing of a puff by the users mouth in the smoking operation, through a relatively larger cross-sectional area of chambers 22 than if the flange 44, or any other wall of lesser spacing from the filter body portion 20 than is the covering 12, were the outer wall of the chambers 22.

This relatively larger cross-sectional area is desired, even though a closely-spaced impingement wall 44 is provided in H63. 10 and 12, to permit any filter residue to remain in the general area of the outlets of the openings 30 (or 30a or 30b), and thus that residue serve to help further in the filtering and flavoring operativity as described above, rather than the smoke stream carrying the filter residue farther downstream, as would be likely to occur if the chambers 22 were of a relatively small cross-sectional size as determined by the relatively close proximity of flange 44 to the body portion 20.

Thus it is seen that it is an advantage for the crosssectional area of chambers 22 to increase, closely adjacent the outlet of the openings 30 (or 30a or 30b) particularly where there is a wall means (such as cylindrical flange 44) which rather closely overlies those opening-outlets.

FIG. 12 also illustrates an integralness of construction of the filter body 10b; that is, each of its cylindrical portion 20, its downstream transverse wall 26, its upstream flange 24b, and its ribs 34, as well as its flange 44, are all shown as formed as one integral body member 10b.

FIG. 13 illustrates a filter body 10in which the transverse openings 30b are inclined, similarly to that shown in FIG. 6, but the spacing of the openings 30b is such the transverse path of smoke as directed by the openings of each adjacent pair thereof, which open into a single chamber 22, intersect at the location of their impingement upon or against the impinged outer wall which in FIG. 13 is shown as the inner wall of the overlying cylinder 12.

This intersection of smoke streams is shown in FIG. 13 by the centerlines 46 of the openings 30b being drawn on FIG. 13, with their intersection 48 shown on that inside wall of the impinged covering cylinder 12.

(To avoid what would seem to be a needless repetition of detail, each part of each embodiment is not individually mentioned herein in detail, but, except as mentioned in particular instances, similarity of components of the various embodiments is merely indicated by correspondency of reference numerals of the various figures; and suffix letters a and b are used to distinguish components which have distinct differences even though only in certain aspects.)

Accordingly, it will thus be seen from the foregoing description of the invention according to these illustrative embodiments, considered with the accompanying drawings, that the present invention provides a new and useful device having desired advantages and characteristics, and accomplishing its intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

Modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the invention; accordingly, the invention is not limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described or shown.

What is claimed is:

l. A filter means for a smoking article, the filter means including a hollow body disposed within a hollow covering and in the path of smoke being drawn from the article, the body having relatively downstream wall portions spaced from said covering and said portions in co-operation with adjacent portions of said covering providing chamber means therebetween, and said body also having relatively upstream thereof peripheral portions which operatively engage the covering and restrict the passage of smoke past said body between the said body and the said covering, and having further downstream portions of the hollow body having wall means restricting smoke passage therepast, said relatively downstream body portions and said relatively upstream body portions co-operating to shield said covering portions which are spacedly adjacent said relatively downstream body portions relatively insulated from the heat of the smoke entering said body and thus relatively cooler than said body,

in which there are provided, in the said downstream wall portions of the body, transversely-extending openings communicating the hollow interior of said hollow body with the said chamber means, the axis of the said downstream wall portions being generally parallel to the path of smoke adjacently downstream of the said openings, and the draw of the smoking article fu rther downstream being such that the smoke path after emerging from said openings into said chamber means is generally parallel to the said wall portions and to their said axis; the direction, size, and shape of the said openings being such that a substantial portion of the smoke particles drawn through the filter means are caused to operatively impinge upon the said covering, after emerging from said openings, and into said chamber means from and through which the smoke stream passes;

the said covering portions being so closely spaced relative to the outlet of said openings that the said impingement occurs but not so close as to cause condensed and/or trapped smoke-stream products to block the smoke-stream path so much as to cause any significant portion of such condensed and/or trapped products to be drawn substantially downstream of the chamber means by drawing on the smoking article after the condensation and/or trapping has occurred;

in a combination in which there is provided longitudinally extending wall means, peripherally spaced, along said relatively downstream portion, the said openings emerging between said wall means, the wall means extending radially outwardly in the region between the outer end of the said transversely extending openings and the inner wall of the covering means against which the smoke impinges, the respective walls of the longitudinally extending wall means are relatively closely adjacent one of said tranversely-extending openings, the said walls thereby respectively providing an additional wall which serves as a collector and retainer of the smoke condensation and residue.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said openings are of such small effective cross-sectional size that altogether they are substantially less in area than the portion of the associated mouthpiece which is of the least cross-sectional size of the smoking article.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the axes of the said openings are in a plane at least generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the filter means.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 3 in a combination in which the axes of the said openings are inclined with respect to respective radial lines of the filter means.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 3 in a combination in which the axes of the said openings are radial with respect to the filter means.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said openings are provided in a grouping such that two of such openings emerge between each adjacent pair of said wall means.

7. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the body is provided with a small amount of material adjacent the inner end of each of said openings extending a short distance inwardly of the portion of said body in which said openings are provided.

8. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said openings are of small and smokestream restricting nature, and are positioned so as to cause the impingement of the smoke-stream against the relatively cool covering of the hollow filter body, attaining a smoke-filtering by the combined effect of a mechanical filtering due to the forced change of path of the smoke-stream and its said impingement, and a condensation of smoke vapors.

9. The invention as set forth in claim 8 in a combination in which after an initial drawing of smoke through the filter means, the condensation and the filter residue then in effect operating to further filter and trap smoke particles and to yield a flavor to the smoke.

10. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which there are provided passages communicating regions of said smoking article, which are upstream of said relatively upstream peripheral portions of the hollow body, with the said chamber means, operatively bypassing the said transversely-extending openings.

11. The invention as set forth in claim 10 in a combination in which said passages are provided at least in part in said relatively upstream peripheral portions.

12. The invention as set forth in claim 11 in a combination in which said passages are provided in the form of a peripheral series of shallow grooves formed in the outer face of said peripheral portion, extending longitudinally the full extent thereof 13. The invention as set forth in claim 10 in a combination in which the body has walls according to claim 1, and there are two of such passages opening into each of the said chamber means between the axes of adjacent ones of said walls.

14. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the adjacent ones of the said transverse openings are relatively inclined toward one another in a manner such that the smoke streams being delivered therethrough operatively intersect.

15. The invention as set forth in claim 14 in a combination in which the relative inclination is such that the operative intersection of said smoke streams of said adjacent openings is at the location of their impingement against the outer wall impinged thereby.

16. The invention as set forth in claim 9 in a combination in which the said openings are so small as to be of a size of about only 0.005 inches in diameter, and the breaking out of tar and/or moisture particles from the smoke stream as accomplished by said smallness of openings co-operates with the other concepts set forth in claims 1, 9, and 10 enhance the condensing and/or trapping effect of the smoke stream impingement against said covering portions.

17. The invention as set forth in claim I in which the openings are relatively closely adjacent to the adjacent wall of the adjacent longitudinally extending wall means.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 5 78 ,330 Dated January 29,19'7

Inventor(s) DAVID B GRIFFITH identified patent It is certified that error appears in the aboveshown below:

and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as In claim 16, line 17 of column 8, "I ,9, and 10" should read 1 ,8 and 9 Signed and sealed this 6th day of August 197 (SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON, JR. Attesting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner of Patents ORM po'mso (10459), I uscoMM-oc 60376-P69 v Q [1.5. GOVERNIENT PRINTING OFFICE 1" 0-36- 

1. A filter means for a smoking article, the filter means including a hollow body disposed within a hollow covering and in the path of smoke being drawn from the article, the body having relatively downstream wall portions spaced from said covering and said portions in co-operation with adjacent portions of said covering providing chamber means therebetween, and said body also having relatively upstream thereof peripheral portions which operatively engage the covering and restrict the passage of smoke past said body between the said body and the said covering, and having further downstream portions of the hollow body having wall means restricting smoke passage therepast, said relatively downstream body portions and said relatively upstream body portions co-operating to shield said covering portions which are spacedly adjacent said relatively downstream body portions relatively insulated from the heat of the smoke entering said body and thus relatively cooler than said body, in which there are provided, in the said downstream wall portions of the body, transversely-extending openings communicating the hollow interior of said hollow body with the said chamber means, the axis of the said downstream wall portions being generally parallel to the path of smoke adjacently downstream of the said openings, and the draw of the smoking article further downstream being such that the smoke path after emerging from said openings into said chamber means is generally parallel to the said wall portions and to their said axis; the direction, size, and shape of the said openings being such that a substantial portion of the smoke particles drawn through the filter means are caused to operatively impinge upon the said covering, after emerging from said openings, and into said chamber means from and through which the smoke stream passes; the said covering portions being so closely spaced relative to the outlet of said openings that the said impingement occurs but not so close as to cause condensed and/or trapped smokestream products to block the smoke-stream path so much as to cause any significant portion of such condensed and/or trapped products to be drawn substantially downstream of the chamber means by drawing on the smoking article after the condensation and/or trapping has occurred; in a combination in which there is provided longitudinally extending wall means, peripherally spaced, along said relatively downstream portion, the said openings emerging between said wall means, the wall means extending radially outwardly in the region between the outer end of the said transversely extending openings and the inner wall of the covering means against which the smoke impinges, the respective walls of the longitudinally extending wall means are relatively closely adjacent one of said tranversely-extending openings, the said walls thereby respectively providing an additional wall which serves as a collector and retainer of the smoke condensation and residue.
 2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said openings are of such small effective cross-sectional size that altogether they are substantially less in area than the portion of the associated mouthpiece which is of the least cross-sectional size of the smoking article.
 3. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the axes of the said openings are in a plane at least generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the filter means.
 4. The inVention as set forth in claim 3 in a combination in which the axes of the said openings are inclined with respect to respective radial lines of the filter means.
 5. The invention as set forth in claim 3 in a combination in which the axes of the said openings are radial with respect to the filter means.
 6. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said openings are provided in a grouping such that two of such openings emerge between each adjacent pair of said wall means.
 7. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the body is provided with a small amount of material adjacent the inner end of each of said openings extending a short distance inwardly of the portion of said body in which said openings are provided.
 8. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said openings are of small and smoke-stream restricting nature, and are positioned so as to cause the impingement of the smoke-stream against the relatively cool covering of the hollow filter body, attaining a smoke-filtering by the combined effect of a mechanical filtering due to the forced change of path of the smoke-stream and its said impingement, and a condensation of smoke vapors.
 9. The invention as set forth in claim 8 in a combination in which after an initial drawing of smoke through the filter means, the condensation and the filter residue then in effect operating to further filter and trap smoke particles and to yield a flavor to the smoke.
 10. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which there are provided passages communicating regions of said smoking article, which are upstream of said relatively upstream peripheral portions of the hollow body, with the said chamber means, operatively bypassing the said transversely-extending openings.
 11. The invention as set forth in claim 10 in a combination in which said passages are provided at least in part in said relatively upstream peripheral portions.
 12. The invention as set forth in claim 11 in a combination in which said passages are provided in the form of a peripheral series of shallow grooves formed in the outer face of said peripheral portion, extending longitudinally the full extent thereof.
 13. The invention as set forth in claim 10 in a combination in which the body has walls according to claim 1, and there are two of such passages opening into each of the said chamber means between the axes of adjacent ones of said walls.
 14. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the adjacent ones of the said transverse openings are relatively inclined toward one another in a manner such that the smoke streams being delivered therethrough operatively intersect.
 15. The invention as set forth in claim 14 in a combination in which the relative inclination is such that the operative intersection of said smoke streams of said adjacent openings is at the location of their impingement against the outer wall impinged thereby.
 16. The invention as set forth in claim 9 in a combination in which the said openings are so small as to be of a size of about only 0.005 inches in diameter, and the breaking out of tar and/or moisture particles from the smoke stream as accomplished by said smallness of openings co-operates with the other concepts set forth in claims 1, 9, and 10 enhance the condensing and/or trapping effect of the smoke stream impingement against said covering portions.
 17. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in which the openings are relatively closely adjacent to the adjacent wall of the adjacent longitudinally extending wall means. 